Fire escape



136% 1945- A. E; MCDONNELL FIRE ESCAPE Filed Feb. 15, 1945 Patented Dec. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE ESCAPE Arthur E. McDonnell, Memphis, Tenn.

Application February 15, 1945, Serial No. 578,053

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fire escapes of that. type known as body catchers and comprehends the use of a relatively large inflatable bag to provide an expedient landing platform.

Another of the objects of this invention is to construct an inflatable bag or landing platform in such a manner that the possibility of its destruction by fire is materially lessened.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable bag for use as a landing platform in such a manner that it can be quickly expanded or inflated by use of a high volume of low pressure air such as may be available from standard fire equipment.

Other objects reside in the provision of means for maintaining the structure in its proper shape during inflation, permitting it to completely collapse and be folded after deflation, and in the provision of elastic shock cords and other structural means for absorbing the shock of a landing body.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure l is a top plan view; and

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section.

The entire structure is formed of a suitable fabric such as heavy canvas and may be treated with any chemicals or coatings to increase its strength and durability. Generally the structure is in the nature of a shortened cylinder the end walls of which are indicated by the reference characters A and B and the cylindrical intermediate outer wall by the reference character C. The end walls A and B are formed with a plurality of oppositely arranged openings 11 and 2), these openings being connected at their peripheral edge by the tubular elements D. The tubular elements D form passages through the cylindrical body for the escape of water when the structure is being flushed to eliminate fire hazards. The cylindrical wall C is provided with a plurality of diametrically opposed inwardly projecting fabric cones E, these cones being secured at their marginal edges 6 to the marginal edges of the Openings formed in the cylindrical wall C. All of the seams or connections in the structure are sealed to prevent leakage of air. In the drawing the seams are shown as stitched together as at a through relatively Wide overlapping edge portions and the sealing of these joints can be accomplished by the use of any suitable cement or binding material, such as a composition including latex as its base. In referring to the seams it is apparent that the connection between the cones E and the cylindrical outer wall C, the connections between the tubes D and the end walls A, as well as the seams between the main walls themselves are comprehended.

The tubes D not only form passageways for the escape of an extinguishing fluid but also act as stops or limit means for determining the amount of expansion permitted between the walls A and B. To properly space and shape the cylindrical wall C there is provided a plurality of resilient connectors F each of which embodies springs 1 adjacent each end and connections f at the ends for connecting with the apex of the opposite cones. The connections 1" are shown as clamped to the apex of the canvas cones E by the clamp plates G, these clamps comprising seals to prevent the escape of air pressure about the connector 1" where it extends through the canvas body.

In use of the device this landing platform or bag is normally in deflated condition and folded or rolled to facilitate transportation on and as part of the standard fire apparatus. A truck equipped with one of these deflated platforms is driven to the scene of a fire as closely as possible. A canvas is spread on the ground near the burning building and the platform is rolled out of the truck onto the canvas Where it can be quickly inflated by a blast of air provided from the pump.. ing equipment of the fire apparatus.

To avoid destruction of the bag a stream of water is sprayed over its upper face and end wall, the water on the upper face A escaping through the tubes D and distributing the available liquid more or less uniformly about the assembly. When inflated it is proposed that the bag be at least 40 feet in diameter and 10 or more feet high and it will be apparent that with a structure of this size and built in accordance with the above description it will be capacle of receiving jumpers from a substantial height without injury either to the jumper or to the bag itself. It will also be apparent that the number of jumpers can be more or less unlimited, provided of course those first landing are quickly removed by attending firemen. After its use at a fire the bag can be quickly deflated by opening a valve such as valve H in the inflation tube It, then rolled up and placed on a truck, returned to the station, dried out and inspected and then returned to its proper position on the truck ready for its next trip or fire .call. It will be noted that the tubes D connecting the upper walls .A

and B provide substantial cavities at their upper as well as their lower face, and these cavities operate to prevent slippage of any one using the bag as an escape means. It will also be apparent that the bag is reversible so that either surface A or B may be used, and these surfaces may be of modified structures to make available means which may be particularly suitable under different conditions. For instance it may be that one of the surfaces can be of heavier material than the other or difierently treated with a fireproofing material. It is also proposed that the surfaces A and B be reinforced or constructed of a material which is not capable of ripping in case a small hole originates from an exceedingly hot ember. It will be apparent that an, assembly of the size proposed would not become deflated from a small hole but would become quickly deflated if a small hole ripped due to the fabric structure and if the rip represented an opening capable of permitting escape of air greater than the air available to the structure through the tube H.

I claim:

1. A landing platform comprising an inflatable bag formed of a pair of end walls and a cylindrical intermediate wall, the end walls being formed with opposite arranged openings, tubular members having their opposite ends connected to the end walls adjacent said openings, a plurality of flexible fabric sections attached to said intermediate wall, and a plurality of resilient connectors fixed to opposite points of the fabric sections.

2. An inflatable landing platform of cylindrical form, said platform including a cylindrical body portion and end walls, said end walls being formed with a plurality of openings, a plurality of tubes connecting said openings of the two walls and forming limit stops for defining the expansion of said walls, a plurality of flexible conical inserts'formed in the body of said structure, and resilient means connecting the end portions of opposite pairs of said conical inserts.

'3. 'A landing platform comprising an inflatable bag having a relatively flat upper face and a cylindrical vertical wall, conical inserts in said vertical wall arranged at diametrically opposite points, end means connecting the diametrically opposite inserts, said means including expansible elements. 7

ARTHUR E. MCDONNELL. 

